I'm getting ready to roof the front of the house and have run across what I think is strange. A lot of the 8d common bright nails holding down the sheathing are loose. They either stick up an 1/8" or the flexing of the sheathing works them up. I pound them down, but they seem to keep popping up.

I've gone over many of the sheets and added 8d ring shank galvanized nails to suck it back up. Anyone run across this before? Is it common?

UPDATE: I forgot to mention the house is about 25 years old.

Big Bob

09-03-2007 08:15 AM

very common, a lot of this "working loose" happens when you remove the old shingles. Re- nail as you have been doing. Nail gun, if available will help with the "popping back out thing".

Be sure your sheathing nail patterns are up to newer local codes.

Ed the Roofer

09-04-2007 09:16 PM

I also find this common to inadequately ventilated attics. The excessive moisture gets absorbed by the deck sheathing and it swells or expands and then when it dries out over time is contracts.

It doesn't take much expansion and contraction to slightly yet continuously move the decking and it will continually work the nails loose, plus leave a larger diameter hole in the rafter from the "toggling" effect. This is why they seem to have no holding power when you sink them into the same nail holes.

Ed

the roofing god

09-04-2007 11:33 PM

hopefully you`re removing the old ones,or renailing them at an angle so they don`t work their way back up thru your new shingles:wink:

Ron6519

09-08-2007 03:33 PM

You can't just push them back in the same hole. These nails probably just missed the joist or caught the edge. Pull them out and renail above or below and into the joist.
Ron

the roofing god

09-08-2007 03:36 PM

that`s what I said ron:yes: ,reread it if you nail them at an angle, it`s not the same hole

troubleseeker

09-08-2007 04:16 PM

[quote=FatAugie;61054]. A lot of the 8d common bright nails holding down the sheathing are loose. They either stick up an 1/8" or the flexing of the sheathing works them up. I pound them down, but they seem to keep popping up.

quote]

Don't knock them back down, as you have seen they will just come back out again. Pull them and renail next to it with galvanized ring shank. Sounds like a good time to renail all sheathing anyway, and tighten the spacing up for modern practices as suggested.

Ron6519

09-08-2007 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the roofing god
(Post 61940)

that`s what I said ron:yes: ,reread it if you nail them at an angle, it`s not the same hole

I was just reiterating what the roofing god had said.At the same time agreeing with you and letting the poster know that the theme was a constant one.
I see troubleseeker has also chimed in, with the same recommendation. It feels like a movement is afoot.
Ron